Improvement in wrench



@anni chillin,

BENJAMIN F. BUXTON, OF WEST'RANDOLPH, VERMONT.

Letters .Patent No. 102,770, dated May 10,1870.

lIMPRO'VEMENT IN WRENCH.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BUXTON, ofWest Randolph, county of Orange, State of Vermont, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is afull, clear, and

exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsmaking part of this specification, in which- Figure l isa perspectiveview of my improved wrench; and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in both figures.

My invention has for its object the construction and arrangement of theadjusting devices of the movable jaw of a hand-wrench, in such mannerthat the desired adjustment of said jaw can be readily and quicklyeffected b v tbe same hand which holds or grasps the handle of thewrench; and, to this end,

The invention consists in a novel arrangement ofthe cam-lever and itsholding-spring, whereby, when the cam-lever is released, the movable jawis held iirmly and immovably upon the shank, and, when the cam-lever ispressed down by the thumb, said jaw can b e readily moved back and forthby the thumb, as desired.

Also, in the combination with the movableejaw of a removabletooth-plate, whereby theteeth which engage with the ratchet on the shankfor holding the movable jaw can be readily removed and replaced whenbroken, as hereafter explained.

In the drawing- A represents the shank,

B, the handle, and

C, the stationary jaw, made in any desired or usual manner.

The shank A is provided at a with a ratchet face, the square orperpendicular shoulders of the teeth of which face the stationary jaw C.

D is the movable jaw perforated longitudinally, and at its face endclosely fitting the shank A, as shown in iig. 2. f

' The width or depth of the perforation at the rear end of said jaw issuch as to permit a slight vibration or movement of said rear end uponthe shank, and at the lower face of the perforation, at saidV rear (nd,a notch or recess is formed in the jaw to receive a. removable steel orchilled iron tooth-plate, d, held in place by a screw or bolt, d, andthe teeth or tooth of which 'engage with those at a, on the shank A,said teeth being set in a reverse position for thatpurpose.

Above the shank A, and within the rear end of the perforated jaw, isfitted the lower end of a cam-latch or lever E, pivoted between the sideof the jaw D, and

made substantially in the form represented in fig. 2.

The lower forward end of lever E is provided with a lip or spur e, uponwhich the rear or lower end of a spring, f, rests, the tension of whichserves to firmly hold the lever E in the position represented in thedrawings. p

This spring f is made' slightly curved, and its forward end passes upthrough a slot in the upper face of the jaw and rests in a socket orrecess, di, formed in said face to receive it, and a downward pressureor` tension of the rear end of the spring is e'ected by the pressure, orresistance offered bythe rear face of the perforation in the jaw at d,through which said spring passes.

The thumb-latch or lever E is provided on its front or upper face with aconcavity at e', which is intended to fit the ball of the thumb, 'and.thereby to enable the operator not only to press said latch down, butto move it together with the jaw to whichitis connected, forward o'rbackward as may be required.

From the above description it will be seen that, when the operatorpresses down upon the thumb end of leverE, the lower eccentric end ofsaid lever'which' rests upon shank A, and which would otherwise beraised oli` the shank, isforced down upon it'by the springf, and carriesdown with it the rear end of jaw D, thereby releasing the plate d fromthose of ratchet a, and enabliu gthe operator, by a forward or back wardmovement of the thumb, to adjust the jaw D, as desired.

When the lever E is released it resumes the position shown in thedrawing, and, by means ot' a flat shoulder or face lat its lower end,serves to hold the jaw locked firmly in the position to which it hasbeen adjusted.

The spring f is held in place only by the jaw and lever E, and, by theremoval of said jaw from the shank, or of the lever from the "jaw, maybe readily replaced when broken.

Having now described my invention.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. Thethumb-latehor lever E and the removable spring f, in combination withthe movable jaw D, when constructed and arranged as described.

2. The spring j, in combination with the thumblatch E and jaw D,provided with the recessed slot dz d, when the parts are constructed andarranged as described.

B. F. BUXTON.

lVitnesses:

JOHN R. OLEAVELAND. W. S. CRANE.

